1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a photographing apparatus such as a camera, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for detecting back light of an image and compensating for the back light therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various digital image processing devices, e.g., a digital camera, photograph and record images of a subject using an image sensor, such as a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) or a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS), which converts light entered through a lens into electric signals.
When photographing a subject, if there is an external light source, such as natural light or a lamp, around the subject, the external light source often creates back light which prevents capturing a bright and clear image, while photographing the subject. Back light occurs when a subject stands with a light source behind the subject and a photographer faces the light source. If there is back light while photographing a subject, a captured image of the subject is often blurry and/or dark due to light that entered directly into a digital image processing device from the back of the subject, in addition to light reflected from the subject.
To solve this type of back light problem, a digital image processing device may include a back light compensation function. The back light compensation function reduces that effect of an external light source and other interference with respect to a subject, in order to provide clearer picture quality of the subject.
As one example, a digital image processing device may recognize the presence of back light, and turn on a flash or control an appropriate exposure value while photographing the subject, in order to obtain a clearer image of the subject.
However, in this type of method, a user should manually set a back light compensation function suitable for an ambient environment of the subject. Therefore, if the back light compensation function suitable for a specific environment is not set, the back light compensation function is not correctly applied and an optimal image cannot be acquired. Moreover, because the back light compensation function suitable for the ambient environment of the subject is manually set, a user should reset the back light compensation function every time an ambient environment is changed.